


The Courtship of Rufus Lore

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Orfus [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst, Eventual Romance, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, M/M, Mates, Promises, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-02 00:14:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16294658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: “Since your nose clearly doesn’t work,” Rufus’s voice cracked out like a whip, nothing like the soft, melodic tone he usually used as he reached up and pulled his collar to the side, just enough to reveal the mating mark on the side of his neck. “I already have a mate, and I have no intention of letting that change.”Orga noticed Rufus from the beginning, but the other man was closed off and hurt, and so he had to wait and approach his courtship with a delicacy that he wasn't known for.





	The Courtship of Rufus Lore

_Orga grinned smugly as he heard a faint cry of pain as the man who had tried to hit on his mate, fell to the ground with Rufus’s magic crackling around him and the younger man towering over him, a stormy expression on his face._

_“Since your nose clearly doesn’t work,” Rufus’s voice cracked out like a whip, nothing like the soft, melodic tone he usually used as he reached up and pulled his collar to the side, just enough to reveal the mating mark on the side of his neck. “I already have a mate, and I have no intention of letting that change.” The God-slayer could see the confusion in the downed man’s face and see the other people glancing around, no doubt trying to work out who Rufus’s Alpha was and why he hadn’t stepped in to protect his omega, and his grin grew.  He knew that it was unusual, but he didn’t care. It was worth all the rumours and stares when he got to his mate standing tall and proud over someone who had made the mistake of thinking he was weak because he was an omega, and even better when the younger man turned towards him with a soft smile of thanks for letting him deal with it._

****

    Alphas chased omegas. It was a simple fact of biology, and yet Rufus hated it. He hated the fact that a quirk of fate, something that was decided for him, could have such a profound effect on his life. It wasn’t how he had been raised, in his family and in his hometown, male omegas had been prized, not only because they were uncommon but also as a sign of status. A family with a male omega immediately gained status and a powerful bargaining chip, as other families would do anything in their power to have one of their alphas mate with the omega, even more so if the omega was a mage. From the moment, he had presented he had been lifted onto that pedestal and trapped by the chains of his parents’ expectations.

    That he didn’t want to be an omega, that he had dreams and plans of his own that didn’t involve any alpha especially one chosen by his parents never even entered their minds. In their thoughts, he was just as keen to find a match as they were. That he is willing to be the perfect son, the perfect omega, perfect bargaining chip to raise their family to even higher levels.

They were wrong…

    It had taken him one soul-destroying meeting with a potential ‘mate’ to realise that his very existence had been reduced to that simple quirk of biology. The man was attractive enough, and a mage which could’ve made things easier as Rufus had no intention of abandoning his hard-learned magic. But his eyes, they were empty, and it had taken him barely a moment to realise that he was invisible to this man. He was a stepping stone, a tool to achieve status and power and nothing more.

    He had waited until the end of the meeting, still wanting to do what he could to aid his parents by avoiding a fuss, before he had approached them and told them that he had no intention of taking that man as a mate. That he had no intention of accepting any mate. When he looked back on it later, he wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, after all, he had already realised his place in his parent’s eyes. Yet at the time, he had naively hoped that they would understand, that they would listen to him as they had before he had presented. It was a hope that had been crushed with harsh words, harsher fists and a declaration that a deal had already been made…a date set for the mating…all without a single consideration of what he had wanted, and when his pleas had fallen on deaf ears he had snapped.

   Every thought. Every protest he had ever swallowed back pouring out in an angry rush, low growls rumbling in his chest as he fought to keep control of his magic. He wanted to make a point, not harm his parents, although he had nearly abandoned his efforts when he had felt the force of his father’s alpha slam into him.

    Disobeying any alpha was painful, but this was worse, and he could feel his legs threatening to give way, his voice fading away as he had to shift his entire focus to staying upright and resisting the urge to bare his neck in submission and in sheer desperation he let his magic flare out. For a moment, the world vanished in a swirl of colour, and he was only vaguely aware of his parents’ alarmed cries and the house shuddering and rumbling around him. When he came back to himself he was stunned to find himself standing in the ruined remains of the living room, his parents slumped against the far wall and just beginning to stir, and he backed away in alarm - what had he done? He wanted them to understand his position, to support his choice…not this…and he could see the anger and fear in their eyes as they pushed themselves up and looked at him, and he felt tears prickling his eyes. He’d wanted them to understand, not fear him.

“Leave!” It was an alpha command, and this time he had no willpower to defy it, and no desire to. The tears slipped down his cheeks as he turned away, head bowed, heading for his room to collect what he would be able to carry with him. Resolve growing in his heart as he heard his mother beginning to cry behind him, and his father’s voice which had been so harsh against him, now slightly softer as he moved to soothe her.

_I will never again bow to an Alpha…_

****

He wished that it had been that simple.

    However, it hadn’t taken him long to realise that the world beyond home was even more treacherous for omegas, out beyond the grandiose houses and the families that favoured male omegas for matches, he was seen as little more than fair game. Especially as he was travelling alone, with only what he had been able to carry and a few jewels to his name. He was adrift, homeless, and he knew that it was reflected in his scent, a sourness that betrayed the sorrow and feeling of being lost that he hid behind a blank expression, and it was a like a flame calling to Alphas. More than once he’d found himself approached, if not cornered by an alpha unable to see past his scent and unwilling to hear his refusals, his rejections and more than once he’d lashed out, much as he had at home, relying on his magic to protect him and then having to flee as it drew unwelcome attention.

   In time he learnt to lie, to pretend that he was on his way to meet his future mate, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. It didn’t always work, but for when it didn’t he had his magic – honed on the road until it no longer burst out in response to his emotions but remained a sharp blade even under duress. He stopped trying to hide, to blend in – first came the mask, framing blazing eyes that spoke of strength and not a tame omega male, another weapon in his arsenal as he hid anything that could be called a weakness behind a blank expression. Next came the hat, and the clothes – flamboyant – a nod to his past, to the family that he missed and hated in equal measure, but also a sign to himself, that he could draw attention without fear. It was a message to the world to look at him, and to see Rufus Lore, Memory-Make mage… not Rufus Lore, omega. It didn’t always work, but gradually he began to make a reputation for himself and more and more when he caught eyes on him, there were whispers of magic and danger, and it brought satisfaction if not happiness.

Then he joined Sabertooth…

 


End file.
